SPONSORED FEATURE
Families considering the next step in their child’s education are being invited to discover what Hornsea School and Language College has to offer as it prepares for its Year 6 Open Evening on Thursday, October 1.
Interest is already strong, with three sessions taking place during the evening and one already being fully booked. Families are expected from both the school’s traditional catchment area and further afield.
Headteacher Steve Ostler believes the growing interest reflects the school’s reputation, the breadth of opportunities available and a clear ambition to help every young person succeed.
At the heart of that approach is a simple principle: young people need to be happy to fulfil their potential.
“We want the kids to be happy and we want them to succeed – and we can provide that here,” said Steve.
“We believe school is about more than just lessons. Clearly, young people have got to come here and learn, but they have also got to enjoy being here and have opportunities to thrive.”
That philosophy is reflected in an extensive extracurricular programme covering sport, music, drama, gaming and a wide range of other interests.
“There is just about a club for every young person’s need,” Steve said. “Quite often, those extracurricular activities give a young person the opportunity to thrive and gain confidence, and that confidence then carries through into other aspects of their learning.”
Hornsea School and Language College has around 1,260 students aged 11 to 18, and Steve wants prospective pupils and their families to think beyond the immediate transition from primary to secondary school.
For many, joining HSLC can be the beginning of a seven-year journey through GCSEs and into the school’s sixth form.
Hornsea remains one of the schools in the area offering its own sixth-form provision, with 33 different A-level subjects alongside BTEC and vocational qualifications.
The school is particularly proud of its latest A-level results, with its performance placing it in the top 10 per cent nationally.
“When young people are prepared to work with us, they get incredible outcomes and go off to some brilliant destinations,” Steve said.
Those destinations include some of the country’s leading universities, but the school also recognises that university will not be the right route for everyone. Some pupils will move into apprenticeships, vocational training or employment, and Steve says the school’s role is to help every young person work towards the future that is right for them.
That focus on aspiration begins before pupils even arrive. When a young person is allocated a place at the school, Steve asks them to write a postcard explaining where they see themselves in the future.
He has now collected postcards from pupils across the school, with ambitions ranging from becoming doctors and dentists to plumbers, footballers and rugby players.
“I want them to aim big,” he said.
“My belief is that our young people are as good as young people in any other school, in any other part of the country.
“It is about that collective work between the young person, their parents and the school. If we get that partnership right, we think we can make a real difference to the lives of our young people.”
Another major strength, Steve says, is the school’s settled and committed staff.
Relatively low staff turnover provides continuity for pupils and allows the school to continue building on firm foundations.
“We have a fantastic group of staff who are committed to improving the life chances of our young people,” he said.
“That settled staff is one of our biggest attributes and one of the reasons why we believe people make us their school of choice in the area.”
The school is also looking firmly to the future, with plans for a new-build expansion in the pipeline as it considers how its facilities can develop alongside its ambitions and growing appeal.
Sixth-form students already benefit from particularly small class sizes, with an average of just eight students per class.
Steve believes this provides pupils with a high level of individual support and attention, creating an environment in which they can develop academically and prepare confidently for the next stage of their lives.
Transport is also helping to make the school accessible to families across a wider area.
Due to parent and student demand, services currently bring pupils from areas including Beverley, Bilton, Hedon and Hull, with pick-up points along the routes, while a new link from the Withernsea area has been introduced following the closure of their local sixth-form provision.
There are currently spaces available on some school buses, and staff will be on hand during the Open Evening to discuss routes and transport options with families.
Steve knows that choosing the right secondary school is a major decision for any family, and he wants parents and young people to use the Open Evening to experience HSLC for themselves – to meet the staff and pupils, explore the opportunities available and get a genuine feel for life at the school.
“I am very passionate about this school and what we can offer,” he said. “We want every young person who comes through our doors to be happy, to thrive and to aim high.
“The Open Evening is an opportunity for families to come and see that for themselves – and to discover what we believe is something pretty special.”
Headteacher Steve Ostler